A guy from the Great Lakes state who loves watching & reviewing movies.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Lego Batman Movie

★★★★★ - A Review by Cameron Kanachki

"I have aged phenomenally." That's an awesomely funny quote from Will Arnett in The Lego Batman Movie, the best Batman movie in a few years. Will Arnett voices Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, who is still fighting crime in Gotham City. During a fight with The Joker (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), Batman tells him that he isn't as important to him as The Joker thinks he is. The next day, Batman, appearing as Bruce Wayne, goes to a party celebrating the retirement of Commissioner Gordon (voiced by Héctor Elizondo) & the promotion of his daughter, Barbara (voiced by Rosario Dawson) to Commissioner. The Joker & his team of villains crash the party, but surrender. Realizing that this makes him irrelevant to the safety of Gotham City, Batman assumes The Joker is up to something, & decides to send The Joker to the Phantom Zone, a prison for the most dangerous villains in the universe. As he plans to steal the Phantom Zone Projector, Batman is interrupted by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (voiced by Ralph Fiennes), who tells him to take care of his newly adopted son, Dick Grayson (voiced by Michael Cera). After The Joker is sent into the Phantom Zone, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, AKA Harley Quinn (voiced by Jenny Slate) breaks him out, unleashing him & numerous other villains. It's now up to Batman, Dick (now Robin), Barbara (now Batgirl) & Alfred to stop The Joker & the most dangerous villains in the Lego Universe.

The voice acting is amazing. Chris McKay's direction is great. The screenplay by Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern & John Whittington is brilliant. And the animation is amazing. This is the best animated film of the year.